Do you feel like, coming from a low-income household, you were pushed to pursue a high paying job or something that makes you happy?

[marrk]

Please answer based on your own experience. So, if you did not grow up in a low-income household or are in one currently with kids, please don’t answer with only an outsider’s opinion. Thank you.

I was raised in a low-income household and I feel that I always knew I was going to go to college and grades were definitely important to me. When it came time to pick a job, they said to do what makes me happy. They didn’t steer me toward a high paying job. My dad did suggest medicine for a minute in high school, but when I voiced my concerns, he didn’t try to press the issue. Further, they’ve been divorced since I was a baby if that makes a difference. I always knew we didn’t have a lot, so I never asked for much at all. I was raised to work hard and be responsible.

I guess those would be the “tenets” of my family. But again, do you feel like, coming from a low-income family, you were pushed to pursue a high paying job or something that makes you happy.

I’m just curious.

[Peter_Penetrator]

All parents want more for their children than what they had. I don’t know if you have heard that before or not.


You would also be surprised that parents that are well off, can make you feel as if you are from a low income household. I am terribly sorry that this isn’t the case for you.


I once held a flashlight so that my dad could change out the breaker for the hot water heater in the apartment we lived in for 23 years. He wore it out.


He is so tight with money he was using that breaker as an on/off switch. Anytime it looked like we might need hot water, he would turn it on 20 minutes ahead of time. Then when we were done with the hot water, off went the hot water tank. 40 years later, he no longer lives in that apartment. He now lives in a house with a gas hot water tank. I am surprised he hasn’t burned that house to the ground with all the matches he has struck every time he lights that pilot light.


He taught me how to live low income. I still do. My ex wife and I bought 3 acres of land 10 years ago. She made great money. But was unwilling to invest it into building something as husband and wife. I paid all the bills. They only way we made it on that 3 acres was by me buying a 10’x20’ storage building. I finished it out on the inside and other than not having the square footage, we lived in it comfortably for seven years. Seven years. So I inherited my dad’s ability to survive.


He never pushed me to get a high paying job, but he made damn sure I graduated high school to the point I grew into not having proper social skills. He never wanted me to be a dropout, but he had no problem with me living like a hermit. He was a college man.


I happen to not only be bi polar, but was also gifted with a learning disability. Even with his fear of me being a dropout, he never put the pressure on me to bring home a 4.00. He was just happy to see me bring home C’s and those rare B’s. He did ride my ass on the many D’s and F’s.


If you family is pushing you, as I said, they want more for you and also for you to provide more for your children someday.


Parents make mistakes in life and to our aggravation, they push us not to do the same. You are lucky they wish more for you. How many jobs do they hold down now, or back in the day in order to support a family and wishing they could give you and any siblings a better life. Remember this to, poverty breeds criminals sometimes.


Once in high school, I watched a mother and father smoke from a bong with their two year old son in the same room as his crib. To this day, I wish I had called DCS on them. Not sure if he would have been better off or not, but he could have had a chance to be.


Hope this meets your criteria. And hope you can gain some insight.

[ChiTown33]

No. I did that on my own. I was raised your own personal honor means more than any amount of money. I was raised family above all. I was raised to always work hard like you were putting your name on whatever you did.

[marrk]

You did what on your own exactly?
Yes I understand that. Honor and integrity are so important. I agree, people are amazed by what I do for my family, but I’m amazed by what they don’t do. Great values, man.

[ChiTown33]

I pushed myself. My dad was super dad. But he was never going to be a monetary success because that was never his drive, his focus. We were! I'm incredibly grateful for my parents. My dad never would've pushed me to be a monetary success. But I've always felt like I owed it to my parents to take so to speak what the world never gave them.

[marrk]

Ah thank you for explaining 💜I feel like people from our backgrounds have that same sense of wanting to give back

[LazerBean]

They taught me to be efficient with my money and value it, which I appreciate and still use. My mom pushed me to get a nursing degree which I was all for anyway. I think that was more a result of her growing up in extreme poverty rather than because of our own situation, which really wasn't even bad.

[marrk]

O yes absolutely they taught me the value of a dollar (and coupons and the clearance racks lol). Thank you for sharing 🩷